Punchinella

Introducing syncopation with sixteenth notes.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: French Folk Song
Key: G Major
Time: 2/4
Form: AAAAaaaa
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ti ri_|_ta (1 2 & uh_|_1)
| ti ti ti ti ri_|_ta (1 & 2 & uh_|_1) | ti ti ti ti | ta ta |
(_=tie)
Pitches: beginners: So Do Re Mi
Intervals: beginners: Do/Mi, Mi\Do, Do\So, So/Do, reinforcing intervals and pitches of the tonic triad
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; multiple repeat signs (4), syncopation
Key Words: play song, moving to music, moving to a steady beat, feeling syncopation, shoe, choose, which, too

**“Punchinella”**

		1.	Look who is here Punchinella, Punchinella Look who is here Punchinella in the shoe. Oh, What can you do, Punchinella, Punchinella What can you do, Punchinella in the shoe.

		2.	Oh, We can do it too Punchinella, Punchinella, We can do it too Punchinella in the shoe. Which one will you choose, Punchinella, Punchinella, Which one will you choose, Punchinella in the shoe?

			Game instructions: “Look who is here.” Students circle around one child, who is Punchinella. “What can you do?” Punchinella dances. “We can do it too.” Students imitate Punchinella’s dance. “Which one will you choose?” Punchinella closes eyes, spins, and chooses the next player.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Punchinella" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Prompt

“Songs of a Little Child’s Day”
At Home

Introducing the descending perfect fifth So\Do.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Emilie Poulsson, Eleanor Smith
Key: E Flat Major
Time: 6/8
Form: ABCa
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta/ ta/ | ta/ (ta ti) |
| ta ti ta ti | ta/a (ti) ti) | ti ti ti ta ti | ta/a/ |
Pitches: intermediate: So Ti Do Re Mi Fa So La
Intervals: intermediate: So\Do, Re/So, La\Fa, So\Mi, Fa\Re, Mi/So, So\Ti
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rests: quarter, eighth; tempo: with spirit; dynamics: mezzo forte/medium loud; horizontal accent (sing/play the note a little louder, tied notes
Key Words: character education, waking up, nimble, jump, bed, first thing, rising-bell

**“Prompt”**
Ding, dong, bell! Nimble little Nell, She jumps out of bed the very first thing, As soon as she hears the rising-bell ring. Ding, dong, bell! Nimble little Nell.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Prompt" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Pray God Bless

Introducing the intervals Do\So/Do (perfect fourths, P4)
and a dotted quarter while singing a round.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Traditional Round
Key: G Major
Time: 3/4
Form: ABCD
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ta ta (ta) | ta ta ta/ ti |
| ti ti ti ti ti ti | ti ti ta ta | – introducing the dotted quarter
Pitches: intermediate: So Do Re Mi Fa So
Intervals: beginners: Do\So, So/Do
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter, 4 part round, introducing descending and ascending interval Do\So, So/Do (perfect 4th), singing in parts, notes stepping up and down the staff (Do to So and back)
Key Words: sacred, Christmas, New Year, prayer, pray, God, bless

**“Pray God Bless”**
Pray God bless all friends are here. A merry, merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Pray God Bless" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Pop Goes The Weasel

Skipping in 6/8 time with a quarter followed by an eighth.

Description

Grade: Second
Origin: England – 17th Century English Rhyme
Key: C Major
Time: 6/8
Form: ABCD (4 measures) AB (8 measures)
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ta ti | ti ti ti ta ti |
ta/ ta ti | ti (ti) (ti) ta ti | ta/ ta/ |
Pitches: advanced: So Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do Re – wide range
Intervals: advanced: Mi/So, So\Mi\Do\So descending tonic arpeggio, So/Do, Do/La, La\Re, Re/Fa, Do/Do ascending octave skip, Do\La, Ti\So, So/Do8, Ti/Re8, Re8\Ti
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: eighth; descending tonic arpeggio, ascending tonic octave skip, extending the vocal range
Key Words: nursery rhyme, cobbler, bench, chased, weasel, monkey, thought, sigh, patience, by and by, nickel, spool, thread, sewing, regal; contractions; I’ve (I have), ’twas (it was); possessive: cobbler’s

A seemingly nonsense rhyme with many interpretations. Excellent for class discussion. In the United States the first verse represents children working in the fabric shops prior to the industrial revolution; chasing yarn balls.

**“Pop Goes The Weasel”**

		1.	All around the cobbler’s bench, The monkey chased the weasel, The monkey thought ’twas all in fun, Pop! goes the weasel! I’ve no time to wait and sigh, No patience to wait till by and by, So kiss me quick, I’m off, goodbye, Pop! goes the weasel!
		2.	A nickel for a spool of thread, A penny for a needle- That’s the way the money goes, Pop! goes the weasel. You may try to sew and sew, And never make anything regal, So roll it up and let it go, Pop! goes the weasel.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Pop Goes the Weasel" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Poor Little Jesus

Advanced beat divisions and syncopated rhythms, ascending and descending minor arpeggios, in a minor tonality.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
Key: F Minor (pitched in A flat Major)
Time: 2/4
Form: AB – Verse/Refrain
Rhythm: advanced: | ri ti/ ti ti | syncopation,
| ri ti/ ta | syncopation, | ta/ ti | syncopation,
| ta/ ta_|_a/a ti ti | syncopation (_|_=tie),
| ti ri ta ti | syncopation, | ri ti/ ti ti | syncopation,
| ta/ ta_|_/ ri ti/ | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: Mi La Do Re Mi
Intervals: intermediate: La/Do/Mi ascending minor arpeggio, Mi\Do, Mi\Do\La descending minor arpeggio, Mi\Do\La\Mi descending minor arpeggio, Mi/La, La/Mi8, Re\La
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; syncopation, ascending and descending minor arpeggios, melodic rhythm patterns
Key Words: USA history: African American Spirituals, sacred, Jesus, Christmas, birth of Christ, manger, pity, shame, Lord, Mary, cradle, nailed, laid, cross, robber, risen, glory; contractions: he’s (he is), didn’t (did not), wasn’t (was not); abbreviations: ‘scended (ascended)
Recorder: intermediate: minor tonality, ascending and descending minor arpeggios, mastering: F, A, C

**“Poor Little Jesus”**

	1.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. He was born on Christmas, yes, yes. And laid in a manger, yes, yes.
		Refrain:
		Wasn’t that a pity and a shame? Lord? Wasn’t that a pity and a shame?
	2.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. Child of Mary, yes, yes. Didn’t have a cradle, yes, yes.
		Refrain
	3.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. They nailed him to the cross, Lord, yes, yes. They hung him with a robber, yes, yes.
		Refrain
	4.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. He’s risen from the darkness, yes, yes. He’s ‘scended into glory, yes, yes. No more a pity and a shame, Lord, Lord. No more pity and a shame.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Poor Little Jesus" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Polly Wolly Doodle

Limited range and intervals but a whole lot of fun to sing!

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Song – circa. 1880
Key: F Major
Time: 4/4
Form: staves: ABaCDEC – song AB – verse/refrain
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta ti ti | ta/a/a ti ti |
| ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti |
Pitches: beginners: Ti Do Re Mi Fa So
Intervals: beginners: Mi\Do (M3), Re\Ti (M3), Ti/Re (M3), Re/So (P5), Fa\Re (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, two double barlines, verse/refrain, running eighths, vocal slurs, ending a phrase on the leading tones Re and Ti
Key Words: USA- history, USA geography: Louisiana; Harvard Songbook 1880, nonsense lyrics: curly eyes, laughing hair, maiden, fair, spunky gal, knees, chicken sneeze, heard, sneezed, whooping cough, head, tail, grasshopper, railroad track, teeth, carpet tack, feet, stuck, chicken roost; abbreviations: sittin’ (sitting), pickin’ (picking)

**“Polly Wolly Doodle”**

	1.	Oh, I went down South for to see my Sal, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day; My Sal, she is a spunky gal, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
		Refrain:
		Fare thee well, Fare thee well, Fare the well my fairy fay, For I’m goin’ to Louisiana, For to see my Susyana, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
	2.	Oh, my Sal, she is a maiden fair, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day; With curly eyes and laughing hair, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	3.	Behind the barn, down on my knees, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; I thought I heard a chicken sneeze. Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	4.	He sneezed so hard with the whooping cough, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; He sneezed his head and the tail right off . Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	5.	Oh, a grasshopper sittin’ on a railroad track, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; A-pickin’ his teeth with a carpet tack. Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	6.	Oh, I went to bed but it wasn’t any use, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; My feet stuck out like a chicken roost. Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Polly Wolly Doodle," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Polite

“Songs of a Little Child’s Day”
At Home

Feeling duple meter in 6/8 time.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Emilie Poulsson, Eleanor Smith
Key: C Major
Time: 6/8
Form: AABCD
Rhythm: intermediate: ti | ta ti ta ti
(6 | 1/2 3 4/5 6) | ta ti ta/ | ta/a/a |
Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La Do
Intervals: intermediate: So\Mi, Mi\Do, Fa\Re, Re/Do, Do\Mi
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rests: quarter, eighth; tempo: allegretto/moderately fast (98–109 BPM; dynamics: mezzo forte/ medium loud, forte/loud, crescendo, decrescendo; horizontal accent: sing/play the note louder
Key Words: character education, manners, polite, friendly, chap, lift, cap, morning, night, jumps, quickly, lady, seat, courteous, gallant, knight, cheers

**“Polite”**

		1.	Oh who’s the friendly little chap, That always thinks to lift his cap, And says “Good morning,” says “Good night?” ‘Tis Paul Polite! ‘Tis Paul Polite. Three cheers for Paul Polite!

		2.	Who jumps so quickly to his feet, If any lady needs a seat, As courteous as a gallant knight? ‘Tis Paul Polite! ‘Tis Paul Polite. Three cheers for Paul Polite!

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Polite" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Plums in Winter

“Songs of a Little Child’s Day”
Times and Seasons

Extending the vocal range with challenging intervals.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Emilie Poulsson, Eleanor Smith
Key: A Flat Major
Time: 4/4
Form: ABAb
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ti ti ta ta | ta ti ti ta/a |
| ti ti ti ti ta ta |
Pitches: intermediate: So Do Re Mi Fa So
Intervals: intermediate: So/Do, Do/Mi, Do/So, So\Mi, Fa\Re, Mi\Do, Re\So, So/Re, Do\So, Re/Fa
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; tempo: lively; dynamics: mezzo forte/medium loud, crescendo, decrescendo; poco ritardando
Key Words: sacred, Christmas, seasons, seasonal fruit, cherries, nuts, Fall, Winter, bear, sugar plums

**“Plums in Winter”**
Cherries in Summer, Nuts in the Fall; Winter, do you bring No fruit at all? “Plenty,” says Winter; “When Christmas comes, Christmas tress will surely Bear sugar plums!”

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Plums in Winter" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Play In All Seasons

“Songs of a Little Child’s Day”
Playtime

A repeating sixteenth rhythm pattern.

Description

Grade: First
Origin: Emilie Poulsson, Eleanor Smith
Key: D Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABC
Rhythm: intermediate: ti ri | ti ti ti (& uh | 1 & 2)
Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do
Intervals: advanced: Do\La, So\Mi, Mi/Do, Fa/La, La\Re, Fa\Re, So/Ti
Musical Elements: Notes: eighth, sixteenth; repeat signs, multiple endings, uncommon intervals: Mi/Do, La\Re, tempo: allegro moderato/moderately fast (98-120 BPM)
Key Words: play song, earth science, seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, kites, tops, boats, swings, leaves, nuts, sleds, skates, seasonal activities, seasonal play

**“Play In All Seasons”**

		1.	When the Springtime comes All I want to say, Oh! what fun it is With our (kites/tops) to play! Tra la la, with our (kites/tops) to play!

		2.	When the Summer comes All I want to say, Oh! what fun it is With our (boats/swings) to play! Tra la la, with our (boats/swings) to play!

		3.	When the Autumn comes All I want to say, Oh! what fun it is With our (leaves/nuts) to play! Tra la la, with our (leaves/nuts) to play!

		4.	When the Winter comes All I want to say, Oh! what fun it is With our (sleds/skates) to play! Tra la la, with our (sleds/skates) to play!

		5.	So the whole year comes All I want to say, Oh! there’s always fun And there’s always play! Tra la la, Tra la la, Tra la!

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Play in All Seasons" Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names

Play a Simple Melody

Advanced syncopation, three accidentals, and a diminished
dominate (d5) make this counterpoint even more challenging!

Description

Grade: Fifth
Origin: USA – Irving Berlin (1888-1989), 1941
Key: E Flat Major
Time: 4/4
Form: AB – counterpoint
Rhythm: advanced: | ta/a/a ta | ta ta ta ta |
| ta/a/a (ta) | ta/a/a/a | ta (ta) (ta/a) |
| ti ti ti ta ti ti ti | syncopation, | ti ti ti ta/a/ | syncopation, | (ta) ta ta ta | (ti) ti ti ti ti ti ta | syncopation
Pitches: advanced: Ti Do Re Me Mi Fa So Si La Li Ti Do – lowered/flat mediant (3, Me), raised/natural dominate (5, Si), raised/sharp submediant (6, Li)
Intervals: advanced: Mi/So/Ti ascending mediant arpeggio (iii, Gm), Fa\Ti (d5 – diminished fifth), Ti/So (m6), So/Si (m2), Si/Ti (m3), So\Re (P4), Re/Me/Mi (chromatic m2’s), Mi\Do (m3), La\Fa (m3), Do8\So (P4), La/Li/Ti (chromatic m2’s), Ti8\Fa (P4), So\Mi/So (m3), So/Do (P5)
Musical Elements: notes: whole, dotted half, half, quarter, eighth; rests: half, quarter, eighth; tied notes, repeated melodic rhythm patterns, note: the repeated rest on the first beat, chromatic movement; syncopation, counterpoint*: two melodies sung/played at the same time; coda: alternate short ending; coda mark, accidentals: sharp, flat, natural, D.C. al Coda (repeat from beginning, at coda sign go to coda)
Key Words: USA theater history: “Watch Your Step” words and music by Irving Berlin, 1914; music composition: counterpoint, melody, harmony, tune; music types: classical, ragtime; old fashioned, musical drag, choppy, applause; contraction: won’t (will not), you’ll (you will), abbreviation: dreamin’ (dreaming)

* Performance suggestion: sing through song once before splitting into two groups singing at the same time; D.C. al Coda together.

“Play a Simple Melody”

Group 1

Won’t you play a simple melody,
Like my mother sang to me;
One with a good old fashioned harmony
Play a simple melody.

Group 2

Musical demon set your honey a-dreamin’;
Won’t you play me some rag?
Just change that classical nag
To some sweet musical drag.
If you will play from a copy
Of a tune that is choppy.
You’ll get all my applause:
And that is simply because
I want to listen to rag.

Additional Formats (click to enlarge)

music

beats

rhythm

pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Play a Simple Melody," Pitch Number Format

solfeggio

letter names